This invention relates to a connecting mechanism for connecting ceiling panel supporting stringers in a T-configuration.
A ceiling panel supporting stringer is of generally inverted T-shape in cross-section, and has lower horizontal portions as engaging edges for supporting edges of ceiling panels (see FIG. 28) and an upper wide portion as an engaging bulge to which hangers h (see FIG. 28) can be secured.
The ceiling panel supporting stringers are assembled into a lattice and support a multiplicity of ceiling panels p in alignment to form a ceiling of a room.
When the ceiling panel supporting stringers are assembled into a lattice, an end of a ceiling panel supporting stringer may be connected to a side of another ceiling panel supporting stringer to form a T-configuration. Thus, there has been proposed a connecting mechanism for connecting ceiling panel supporting stringers 1 comprising an L-shaped connecting projection extending from an end of a first ceiling panel supporting stringer and having an engaging hole, a fitting hole which is formed through a second ceiling panel supporting stringer and into which the L-shaped connecting projection is press-fittable, and an engaging projection formed on one side of the second ceiling panel supporting stringer and engageable with the engaging hole of the first ceiling panel supporting stringer for preventing disengagement of the L-shaped connecting projection from the fitting hole.
In the conventional connecting mechanism, the first ceiling panel supporting stringer must be struck to insert the L-shaped connecting projection thereof into the fitting hole of the second ceiling panel supporting stringer. At this time, the ceiling panel supporting stringers may be damaged, so that the work of connecting the ceiling panel supporting stringers requires skills and takes time and effort. Also, the L-shaped connecting projection and the fitting hole take time and effort to form and make the configuration of the ceiling panel supporting stringers complicated.